Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-20
MEXICO'S WHITE HOUSE.
A TRAVELLERS DESCRIPTION OF THE
CASTLE OF CHAPULTEPEC.
Rooms of the Presidents Official Homo.
The Broom Of Games OF
on n Roof.


The Groom Of Games"-Splendor OF
the State Dining Room-Flower Beds
on Roof
There is little moro ceremony here than
in the States about getting into the presidents
mansion, but once the visitor is admitted he
is shown ten times as much as in the White
House In the ante-room acquaintance is re-
newed with the Mexican coat Of arms, great
eagle perched upon the cactus and holding in
beak and talons writhing snake.
Then comes q room which would dazzle
President Cleveland's faithful Daniel. 1t is
the private secretary's room-velvet carpet,
wall tapestry, desk top and plush upholster-
ing, all in deep red.
A door opens into the billiard room,
equipped with table of the latest American
pattern, with a well filled cue rack. The
color of the wall hangings and the chair up
holstering matches the table. 1t is dark
green. The second floor Is of inlaid hard
woods.
Quite appropriately "the room of games"
as it is called, adjoins the last apartment
Purple velvet tapestry covers the walls, while
on the ceiling the artist has given suggestions
Of the uses of the room. In one panel there
is displayed hand at cards. In another
there are scattered chessmen. A third shows
the dice, and in the fourth corner are de-
picted the implements of the old parlor game
Of battledore and shuttlecock.
The smoking room has stamped leather on
the walls and chairs, floor of hardwood, and
pictured on the ceiling are cigars, cigarettes,
and pipes.
REACHING THE CLIMAX.
In the state dining room the splendor of the
palace reaches its climax. Around great
mahogany table are arranged the antique
straight backed chairs, with upholstering of
the famous Cordova leather In the richly
carved back of each chair is the monogram Of
the Mexican republic. Leather tapestry
covers the walls. The floor is of inlaid woods,
and over the windows are hangings Of deep
red. On the table is the solid silver service
Of Macmillan, bearing the coat Of arms Of
the empire which was never founded. Over
the fireplace is an elaborate wood carving,
the principal figures being the lion, the con-
dor, the deer and the snake.
A question as to the ownership Of the silver
service brings out q quick, apt reply from
the attendant. "This all belongs to the people,
senor," is what he says
There is an ante room to the state dining
room, and then comes a sewing room, with
silk in yellow and light blue colors covering
the walls and the seats of the carved chairs.
Upon the floor is velvet carpet in colors to
correspond.
The bath room, which is next, has a floor
Of porcelain tiles, light tinted walls, and an
illuminated windows.
The vestibule, into which the bath room
opens, has a richly frescoed ceiling, with rep
RESERVATIONS of the shields and coat of arms Of
all the different dynasties under which Mex
leo has been governed. from Montezuma
down to the republic Of to-day. There is a
life sized Spanish cavalier in bronze uphold
ing the chandelier.
In the parlor the most notable feature is
the embroidery of the fables Of Lafontaine in
the light blue silk upholstering of the chairs.
The wall hanginss and the velvet carpet are
of the same light blue. A new grand piano
completes the furnishing of this room.
A toilet room, with great mirrors, pink silk
on the walls, pink velvet on the floor and pink
portieres further demonstrates the versatility
of the decorator.
The state bedroom is equipped throughout
cabinet, chairs, table, bed and all-in Louis
XIV furniture, red and gilt.
FLOWERS ON THE ROOF.
And after passing through these apart
ments in the order named, the visitor reaches
another entresol, which, for the occasion, does
duty as an exit. Here is furniture, hangings,
carpet and all in mauve. A hall clock in q
covered oak case stands on one side Of the
door. 1t has the old fashioned square dial,
and the pendulum has six feet swing. On
the other side of the door is a carved oak
stand, with card case of solid silver, one more
relic of Macmillan. A coat of mail hangs
upon the wall, and oaken chairs stand about.
The hands of the attendants close over a
couple of coins, and the visitor steps out
through the door into the sunlight. But the
dream is not finished. Just around the corner
is the marble staircase leading up through
the heart of the castle to the top 1t is well
worth the climb. Talk Of the hanging gardens
of Babylon, On the roof of the castle Of
Chapultepec there are flower beds, walks,
statues, arbors, trees, fountains, arches, birds
and electric lights. This roof is of masonry
and covered with thick cement. Gardeners
20 about with their hoes and trowels and
watering pots, working as if they were on the
ground. Near the center of the garden, with
a circular fence about it and rose bushes over
hanging, there yawns the mouth of the mys-
terry which the hill of the grasshopper con-
ceals This passage drops down perpendicu-
larly for a dozen feet, then it slants, and steps
cut in the rock commence. AT the base Of
the mountain there is an outlet to the passage,
but that is not all of the mystery. The tunnel
in the solid rock leads OFF from about the
center of the mountain in the direction Of the
city. There is tradition that it extends all
the way, two miles and more underground,
to the cathedral, and that in the olden time
there was maintained this secret means Of
communication between the two places.-City
of Mexico .efter